Is Michigan behind life sciences?

March 10, 2008

KALAMAZOO--Leaders from across the state, including Western
Michigan University President John M. Dunn will tackle the issue
of Michigan's support for the life-sciences industry Wednesday,
March 12, at a business forum on the WMU campus.

The event, Business Review's first Michigan Leaders Speak
forum of the year, is set for 4 to 6 p.m. at
the Fetzer Center. Admission is $20. To register, go to www.regonline.com/lifesciences.
For assistance, call (800) 644-2846.

The forum is designed to allow registered attendees to choose
from among 10 separate roundtables in which business and education
leaders will tackle a range of topics revolving around the future
of the life sciences in Michigan. Dunn will be co-leader with
Laura Van Popering of Van Popering, McLogan Executive Search
Inc. of one discussion group focused on talent recruitment

Following two, 20-minute roundtable sessions, a trio of life-sciences
professionals will join a townhall-style panel session to extend
the discussion. Those panelists will be Linda Chamberlain, head
of the West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative; John
Greenfield, director of Michigan's Core Technology Alliance;
and Stephen Rapundalo, head of MichBio.

The event also will feature a keynote address by Michael Jandernoa,
co-founder of Bridge Street Capital Partners and former Perrigo
Co. chairman and CEO.

Other leaders who will be part of the discussion include
roundtable leaders:

Randal Charlton of Wayne State University and TechTown and
Dr. Jack Luderer of WMU's Biosciences Research and Commercialization
Center who will talk about commercialization;

James Conner of Granger Construction and John Vander Wall
of Midwest Cleanroom Associates who will lead the discussion
on construction

Don Hunt of Lambert Edwards who will lead a discussion on
marketing intellectual property

Steven Goldner of the Regulatory Affairs Association who will
lead the regulatory affairs discussion; and

Monty Reimers of MPI Research who will discuss licensing and
product development.

Partnering with Business Review for this Michigan Leaders
Speak forum are the Core Technology Alliance, MichBio, Southwest
Michigan First, the West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative
and Western Michigan University. The forum is also sponsored
by CTS Telecom Inc. and Marshall Economic Development.